Bekker's Blog by Scott Bekker, Editor in Chief

Nadella's Task: Help Other Companies Make Money Off Microsoft

Satya Nadella rolled out a piece of Microsoft math that longtime Microsoft partners are accustomed to hearing, but it's a good message to hear repeated from the top.

Speaking to Forbes in an interview posted Monday, Microsoft's CEO talked about how Microsoft does best when other companies are making money off its products. The comments took the form of recounting conversations with Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates.

"Bill used to teach me, 'Every dollar we make, there's got to be five dollars, ten dollars on the outside,'" Nadella told Forbes.

Gates also reminded Nadella that great companies were once built on Microsoft's code, and tasked him with rebuilding Microsoft brick by brick until it can happen again. "That's what I want us to rediscover."

The short article about the interview covers Nadella's efforts to build up enough industry trust in Microsoft to credibly acquire GitHub without causing a community revolt, as well as efforts to reduce the institutional arrogance inside Microsoft that can be a side effect of success.